What do you think about it? is it better/faster to come directly from Siem reap to bangkok by bus instead of plane from Phnom Phen?
Is too much time in 2 islands only?
I want to see a lot, but also want relax, a lot of relax, beach etc.

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BruceMoon

It seems to me that you are adding a very quick visit to Cambodia in what is essentially a beach holiday.

I suggest you either remove the Cambodia section and really enjoy the beach. Or, add more time to Cambodia to do the nation's attractions the justice they (and you) deserve.

I will include my comments in between your proposed itinerary on the assumption that you DO have an interest in visiting the Cambodian attractions with enough time to enjoy and experience...

16 - arrive BKK late
17 - bangkok
18 - bangkok - Phnom phen (plane)

Why only 1 day in Bangkok? Haveyou been before and just want to skip? If you have never been before, I think 2 or 3 days.

eg
1 day Royal palace
1 day floating market
1 day Ayuthaya

I note you have Ayuthaya listed at the end of your journey for a visit. I'd suggest that you do it at the beginning. You'll have been travelling a bit, then relax at the beaches, why not just return home relaxed. So, I suggest to do all the Bangkok 'things' up front.

As I suggested above, it looks like the whole purpose of the visit is to go do beaches, and the remainder is a tack on. If you are serious about giving respect to Cambodian attractions, you may need to shave a bit here.

1 and 2 september - Bangkok and Ayutthaya

As noted above, just go back to Bangkok to do last minute shopping, go to the airport 'relaxed' and cruise home.

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syna

Joined Travelfish6th August, 2009Posts: 6

Thank you very much for your help BruceMoon.

You weren't realy far when you said that it is almost a beach holiday :)...I realy want to enjoy the beach, but at the same time i want to enjoy the culture and history of Thailand and Cambodja.
In fact I'm very interested to visit cabodja and i think you're right. Maybe it would be better to stay 1 or 2 days more.

About this choice, i know it's a little bit weird, but it's because the flights from Siem Reap > Bangkok are sooo expensive. That's why i was thinking about this option, the other one is going by land...but i think it would take longer no?
About seing "all" bangkok at begining makes a lot of sense. The main reason for my choice was to have some spare days to make the trip more versatile, i mean, i wouldn't be so tied to schedules and could go latter or soner from one place to the other.
But i will give a serious thought about it!

Once again, thank you for your help, the links you posted are realy useful as well.

Just one more question, if it was your trip (with beach and culture) would you choose similar to my option or would you go also to the northern Thailand?

Jon_Mak_Mak

Gotta agree that a minimum of 3 days for BKK is a good idea and if you want to do Ayutthya as well you could add another day to BKK and do a day trip to Ayutthya going by train.

I would NOT recommend land travel between BKK and Siem Reap based on my own experiences. A flight is much better (albeit expensive) I would deffinatey fly again but I wouldn't bus it and if your thinking of getting a bus from KSR then you really need to google KSR bus scams.

If you like temples and ruins I would stay in Seam Reap for a minimum of 3 days for Angkor Wat, Bayon, Ta Prom, Seam Reap and Tonle Sap. I can't comment on Phnom Penn as I haven't been there.

I would start in BKK for a few days with a trip to Ayutthaya and then fly to Seam Reap for a few days then fly back to BKK and then either fly, bus or train it down to Ko Samui for a couple of days and then get a boat to Ko Phanga for however long you like. Then just fly, bus or train back to BKK ( for 1 or 2 days) and then home.

This sort of thing is easily do-able and I have done very similar (and more complicated) trips myself a few times. You could add The North to your trip but then it gets more rushed/complicated so might be best saving it for another trip.

BruceMoon

"About this choice, i know it's a little bit weird, but it's because the flights from Siem Reap > Bangkok are sooo expensive. That's why i was thinking about this option, the other one is going by land...but i think it would take longer no?

Travelfish has posted that the road journey from Siem Reap to BKK, is now all paved, and thus much easier: go read here. It may be that the time you spent going to PP, staying overnight, and flying to BKK, could have had you in BKK earlier and cheaper.

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syna

Joined Travelfish6th August, 2009Posts: 6

Thank you againJon_Mak_Mak and BruceMoon.

At this point i'm definetly staying more time in Angkor. Like you both sugest.
I've been watching prices and i think that i can afford the plane from SR -BKK and i can go in the same day to the islands!
When i was saying that i would do SR-PP-BKK it would be all in the same day, i wouldn't sleep in PP.
Other thing is about the 3/4 days in BKK, I remembered that i'd like to dive in Ko Tao and from what i've heard, i can't fly in the 48 hors after diving, is that correct by the way?
Is it stupid to stay the first day in BKK and see , for example, the day floating market and at the end , the last 2/ 3 days see the Royal palace and Ayuthaya?

BruceMoon

I was suggesting to you to do all the Bangkok stuff first so that when you finished your beach holiday, you didn't get bogged down with travel in/around Bangkok. Rather, with a smile on your face, a suntan on your body, and memories of diving/beaching/partying, you just hopped on the plane and dreamt the whole way home.

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BruceMoon

Much of the crap that appeals to non-asian holiday makers is merely for the novelty purpose.

I can't tell you the number of homes I've visited here in Oz where people have all these el-cheapo dust collecting 'ornaments' cluttering their house. They are not a momento - that attribute passes after about a month (they become blind to the item/s).

Rather, they spent money on crap and are idolising it on the (proverbial) display shelf in a bid to justify the waste.

One day is more than enough for shopping. If manel (and gf) noted items when first in Bangkok, and after their holiday, they decided to buy, then its merely a quick trip to 'there' to buy.

Jon_Mak_Mak

I will be shopping for alot more than 2 days! I will be buying jeans, trainers, t-shirts/shirts/polo shirts, maybe a laptop, stuff for my camera, probably a DISH WASHER as well as all the stuff my wife wants to buy.

I will be getting this stuff from (I hope) Robinsons/big C/tesco/carrefor/ Makro/local Markets and that will be in Bangkok/Buri Ram/Ko Rat and Cha am. :)

But Im not exactly a tourist for the most part as we are taking our daughter to see her grand parents. But if I was doing this trip as they are, I would still end with a couple of days in Bangkok for more reasons than just shopping.

syna

Joined Travelfish6th August, 2009Posts: 6

Thanks to all again.

I've already booked the flights in and out cambodja. As sugested i'm spending 3 and half days in Angkor, and i'm leaving direct fronm SR to BKK, and in the same day i fly to Surat Thani.
I'm not a BIG shopping fan, i like it but it's not a must bee. One day i think it's enough for me.
At this point, we are staying one day at the beginig in BKK and two more at the end..
Just one question, does it take much time from the airport to Bangkok center?
And does anyone know any good place to make tatoos in Koh Phagnan or Koh Tao?

SBE

This is just a personal opinion, but I rarely see a tattoo that I think enhances a person's appearance. To me it's more like a mutilation and I've never really understood why people do it. Getting a tattoo is painful, it can go septic and ooze pus, you could conceivably catch hepatitis and/or AIDS, and worst of all tattoos are totally indelible so if the artist f*cks up or if you hate having the thing on your body in ten years time then that's just too bad. You've got it for life! If you get a tattoo on your back you can't even see it yourself ...what is the point?

Also, while it may be of no concern whatsoever to you now but there will come a day when you are as old as your parents and grandparents. How good will the tattoos look on wrinkly sagging skin? I've heard the colours bleed after a while too, so your tat may well become a smudgy undefined mess later on in life. Old people can actually see what they look like so they probably don't want to look worse than absolutely necessary.

I once saw a guy on the beach on Ko Tao who had one of his arms tattooed entirely black from shoulder to wrist. Perhaps he'd grown tired of his tatts and decided to opt for that instead of expensive and painful laser removal but believe me, in swimwear that dude looked absolutely ridiculous!

I've got an idea. If people want to have "artwork" on their skin why not get the tattoo artist to draw pictures on you with indelible felt-tipped pens instead? Painless, no risk and you could change the design according to current mood, mindset, philosophy,lover and clothes. If tats are *out* and pure unblemished skin is *in* next season it won't matter a jot.

If that's way too radical and innovative an idea then they do temporary tattoos on the islands too... I find the colours very garish and unattractive but at least they won't be there for the rest of your life!

If you do go ahead and get one then as madmac says make very sure that the place has scrupulously good hygiene and try and find people who've had tattoos done by the artist so you can see what his work is really like and ask if they had any problems with infection etc.

Jon_Mak_Mak

No problem SBE. But I find that people that are not into tattoos don't understand the reasons for them, which are many and different for many people. So not sure that someone that might like tattoos and asking for advise on where to get tat's done in Thailand would find your post very useful. But thats fine, each to there own init.